The Marauders Era - First Year
by RavenLilyRose
Summary: Watch as the heroes of the first war begin their educations. Watch as unbreakable bonds are forged, lifelong enemies are made, secrets are kept and discovered and life skills are taught and learned. The first story in what will eventually be a series. Updates may be slow but the story will not be abandoned. MWPP Era. Will be cannon pairings.
1. Lupin?

"Never fear the moon." That's what she always told him. Then, he could never understand why anyone would fear it. Now though... now he did fear it. He reveled in the darkness of the room around him. Ever since that night. That horrible night when he had lost nearly everything. His future? Gone. His health? A joke. But worst of all? Her. Remus choked back tears. He still, after so many lonely years, couldn't even think about her without tears. He felt like he was weak, not being able to hold back the tears. Yet... he was tired and lonely. He was hungry and scared. He curled himself even tighter into the corner where he was sitting and let the tears flow.

* * *

Sirius Black was thinking. No, thinking was dangerous, especially for a Marauder. He and James only thought when they had already decided on a prank, and only needed to execute it. They had learned their lesson their first week, when they were trying to think of the best prank ever. McGonagall had later told them that if it had actually worked, it could have resulted in severe harm and maybe even death for most of the people involved. They had been horrified. They didn't want to cause any irreversible damage. Since then they just let the pranks come to them and then proceeded to figured out how to accomplish them. What he was actually doing, was wondering what he should do. It was Saturday evening and he had already finished eating; he had already finished his homework (Early! An act of desperation.), and he was bored. He had spent most of the afternoon helping James chase that Evans girl, and he was tired of it. That's where James was right now. Sirius spent a while scouting the fifth floor learning every inch of it searching for a new hidden passageway or something equally entertaining. Finally, finding nothing, he headed back to the common room.

When he got back the room was empty and dark. Everyone was still in the Great Hall. He hadn't wanted to eat with everyone else today, so he'd gone to the kitchens for an early meal. The house elves loved him and gave him everything he wanted. Sirius plopped down on a chair with his head on one arm and his knees hooked over the other. He pulled out a chocolate bar the elves had given him. He started to unwrap it, but stopped suddenly when he thought he heard something. He grabbed his wand and slowly stood up. He listened, pinpointing the sound. Slowly approaching the corner, he wondered what he should do. Suddenly he could make out a vague figure. "Lumos" he whispered. It was one of the boys in his year. He couldn't remember his name, so he went for the surname.

"Lupin?"

* * *

Suddenly there was light. Remus kept his face hidden.

"Lupin?" The voice seemed unsure.

Slowly he looked up raising his wand and pointing it at the other boy.

"What do you want?" was all he could choke out before he dissolved into tears again.

This was not how he wanted this boy, who he now recognized as Sirius Black, to see him. He had seen Black running around the castle pranking and teasing people with James Potter and he had used every means possible to avoid becoming a target. To his surprise Black just stepped to the side so that Remus' wand was no longer pointed at him and then sat down next to Remus.

* * *

Sirius wasn't sure what to do. He had a wand being pointed at him by a sobbing boy. So he took the logical path and stepped out of the line of fire. Then, against his better judgment, he sat down next to the sobbing boy.

* * *

Remus wasn't sure what to do. This boy was one who his only friend had strongly advised him to stay away from, but now he was sitting next to him. To comfort him? To tease him? He didn't know, although he hated the second option and wasn't sure about the first.

"Look at me." Black said with what seemed like an attempt at tenderness.

Remus decided to take a risk. He looked up. Black looked slightly confused and slightly... was that pity? Remus hated pity. But this didn't seem like _Poor thing, being poor_ pity, or his father's _You poor thing, you're part beast_ pity. This looked more like the kind of pity that any decent person would have for someone they found crying in a corner. Remus couldn't blame him for that. He forgave him. Still Lily didn't trust Sirius. Lily was his only friend and he trusted her judgement. Remus decided that it couldn't hurt to just see what happened. He did have his wand after all.

After looking at him for a while, Black handed Remus a chocolate bar that Remus hadn't noticed he was holding. Remus looked at it warily not trusting anything the prankster offered him, not wanting to turn into a canary or worse. Black noticed the hesitation.

"It's O.K. Lu-... Sorry, I can't remember your name."

"Remus. Remus Lupin."

"It's O.K. Remus. This won't hurt you."

"And how do I know you're not just pranking an easy target?"

"Well, first reason, easy targets are boring, and second," Black put his free hand over his heart and lifted his still lighted want into the air above his head, "I solemnly swear on my honor as a Marauder that this is totally normal chocolate and not a prank of any kind."

Remus blinked, then took the chocolate. He bit off a tiny corner and waited. When nothing happened, he turned back to Black and said, "Marauder. Is that what you and Potter call yourselves?"

Black grinned dumbly. "Yup. That's what we are. It's a title of great honor."

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Hey! Don't roll your eyes at me Remus Lupin."

Remus' stomach growled.

"Have you eaten tonight?"

"No Black. Why do you think I'm up here crying instead of down there. I don't want to talk to people." He was getting annoyed with Black's lack of observational skills.

"I'm Sirius."

"I know your serious. I don't see how any of this conversation could be a joke." How long was it going to take this thick-headed prankster to get it into his head that Remus didn't want to see anyone?

"No. I mean my name is Sirius. I want you to call me that. I'm not particularly proud of being a Black." His usual cheerful attitude seemed to have disappeared.

"O.K. Sirius it is. And no I haven't eaten."

Already his cheerful attitude was back. Remus wished he could switch moods that easily. "Are you hungry?"

"Maybe. But I'm not going to the Great Hall and seeing as you're not there, I doubt that you want to be there either." He was getting VERY exasperated. He did NOT want to see anyone. How long was it going to take Sirius to realize that?

Sirius had a mischievous glint in his eyes. Remus didn't know what to expect. "That's not the only place to get food in this castle you know."

Remus barely had time to think 'Where else would we get food?' before he suddenly found himself being pulled up off the floor and then dragged through passageways and down staircases until he was totally and completely lost.


	2. New Friends

Sirius knew it was a rash decision and he didn't know why he decided to show Remus the Kitchens. Maybe it was because the boy just had something about him that made Sirius want to trust him, but anyway, he was almost most of the way there, and it was too late to turn back. He had promised him food after all. He just hoped it wouldn't bother James. But never mind that. He liked Remus and knew the other boy needed food. He was so pale and thin. When they got there, Remus shook out the arm Sirius had been dragging him by and observed the area.

"I don't see any food." Remus commented.

Oooh! This was going to be fun! "Watch and learn Messr. Lupin." Sirius said in an authoritative voice and strode confidently over to a painting of a bowl of fruit. He turned and winked at Remus, who was looking at him in confusion, before proceeding to tickle the pear. A doorknob appeared and Sirius grabbed it and swiftly opened the door wide. "After you!" he said cheerful, turning to Remus whose jaw had dropped to the floor.

After Remus recovered slightly he asked, "Do all the paintings in this castle have things behind them?" His voice was filled with awe and he seemed rather dazed.

"I haven't gotten around to checking all of them yet, but lots do." He watched as Remus turned in circles observing the other paintings around them. He suppressed a laugh. "C'mon, are you hungry or not?" he asked jokingly before pulling Remus through the doorway which closed behind them.

* * *

Remus stared wide-eyed at the cozy yet huge room that met his eyes.

"Where are we?" he breathed out in wonder, "Am I hallucinating?"

The second Question was because he had noticed the small creatures bustling about the room. Suddenly one of the creatures, who from closer he identified as house-elves, appeared in front of him. "Young Master Sirius, an honor. And Young Master ...?"

"This is Remus. And it's an honor to see you again too Tinker."

"So kind Master Sirius. So kind. What may Tinker do for the Young Masters Sirius and Remus?"

"Remus here needs some Dinner if it's not too much trouble."

"Never too much trouble for the Young Masters."

"Thanks Tinker."

"Yeah... Thanks..." Remus said finally coming to his senses.

Tinker ran off grinning and saying "Too kind. Too kind." over and over again.

Sirius led Remus over to some tables on one side of the room. After they were situated, Remus asked again, "Where are we?"

Sirius laughed, "We're in the kitchen Remy."

"Remy? Where did that come from?"

"We're friends now right? It's a nickname. I give my friends nicknames."

Remus considered the friends idea. "I'm not sure we can be friends."

Sirius made a pouty face. "Why not? I thought I was being nice."

Remus watched him warily. "So you don't think that you're arrogant, a git, or other even less complimentary things that I won't repeat?"

Sirius blinked. "No. What put that idea into your head?"

Just then Tinker returned with a huge plate of food. "Thanks Tinker!" Remus said eyeing the food hungrily.

Tinker grinned, "Anything for Young Master Remus!" he said bowing low before hurrying away.

"Lily" Remus said after a minute or so.

"What?" Sirius asked confused.

"Evans?" Remus tried to clarify.

"What about her?" Sirius was very confused.

"You asked who told me that you and Potter were arrogant gits among other less flattering things."

Sirius almost screamed in delight. "You're friends with Lily Evans!?"

Remus looked at him with concern. "Yes. I am. Are you alright?"

"You have to help me!" Sirius gave Remus his best puppy-dog eyes, "I am sick and tired of chasing Lily Evans."

"Then stop. She hates both you and Potter. What do the two of you even want?"

"I know! James is convinced that he is in love with her!" Sirius looked dejected.

"So you want me to help you make him see sense?"

"Yeah. Either that or make Lily fall in love with him."

"Which will never happen. Lils hates him."

"Lils? That's cute." Sirius looked for signs of a blush.

Remus shrugged, "She likes it. The whole nicknames for friends deal, you know. Anyway, I think I can convince her that it's alright for me to be friends with you, but don't expect her to suddenly be friends with you."

No blush. Nothing Romantic. Sirius was glad. He didn't think that he could handle another friend head over heels for Lily Evans. He also wanted James to be friends with Remus, and if he was so called 'competition' there would be almost no chance of that.

"C'mon!" he said, seeing that Remus was done eating, "you've got to meet James properly."

* * *

When Remus was in bed that night, he contemplated the day. He had started the day lonely, only having one friend, bored, and unsure how he was going to manage the next seven years. He looked over to his right where Sirius was sleeping and past him James. Now he had three friends, with two of whom life would never be boring. He also had the beginnings of the plan to make life better for his first friend. With that knowledge he went to sleep with a peaceful smile on his face.

When he woke up, he remembered two important details. His... condition, and Lils. The first one he would play by ear and find excuses that would make sense. For now he worried about the more immediate problem. How would Lily Evans respond to the fact that he was now friends with Sirius Black and James Potter? He was pretty sure that she was the kind of person who might not approve, but would still be his friend as long as he didn't bring them to crash her party. He hoped so. Sirius noticed his discomfort.

"You O.K. Remy?"

"Yeah. Fine. Just wondering how Lils will take this new friendship development."

'Can -" started James eagerly but was cut off by Sirius.

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

Remus thought for a minute. "Actually yes. Don't let on that we're friends until I let you know differently. It should be sometime today. I just want to talk to her first."

"O.K. We can do that." Sirius said in a tone that allowed for no argument. Then he turned to James and gave him a hard look. Suddenly the tone made sense to Remus. He started laughing.

James gave him a confused look. "What's so funny?

"Just the two of you." Remus headed down to breakfast painfully aware of how trying this day could end up being.


	3. A Confrontation and a Conversation

When Remus arrived in the Great Hall, he found Lily doing her usual crazy breakfast circus. She had her Potions Book propped up against a serving bowl and held at the sides with pitchers. Meanwhile, she was taking part in at least one conversation, usually more, and also managing to eat a full breakfast in a normal amount of time. Remus laughed slightly before remembering his task. He took his seat next to her and propped his own book, Charms, up in a quite similar manner. Lily noticed him immediately.

"Hey Remus! Sleep well? Pass the Pumpkin Juice please."

Remus laughed at her antics. "Yeah, great. I need to talk to you later. Library after Charms?"

* * *

Lily was happy. She had managed to avoid Potter in the Library for most of the evening before since he had gotten banned for the weekend, she had slept well and was now with her friends eating a normal amazing Hogwarts breakfast. Her mood took a slight dampening when she saw Remus though. He didn't seem happy. He seemed almost frightened of he asked her to meet him in the library she got worried. She would be there anyway of course, but she was still worried about him. She decided that unless anything happened, she would wait to worry about it until she knew what to worry about. Instead she would focus on Potions and Charms, her two favorite subjects.

After Charms, Lily went to the library and set up at her normal table. She looked at her Potions essay and went to find the books she needed. When she got back, there was a very nervous looking Remus sitting at his normal spot at the table.

"Remus. what's wrong?" Lily asked dumping her books on the table and sitting down She was actually rather concerned.

"Please don't hate me!" he started almost begging.

Lily was confused. "Why would I hate you?"

"O.k." he took a deep breath, "When I say this, you will likely freak out. Can you try to stay calm and hear me out."

"Remus John stop with the suspense or I will hex you to speak in rhymes"

"O.k., O.k., ImadefriendswithSiriusBlackandJamesPotter." Remus ducked under the table.

Lily took a minute to decipher Remus' statement before bursting into laughter. After she had calmed herself down, she tried to reassure him. "O.K. I may not have personally made that choice, but you can come out now. I'm not going to hex you over your choice of friends however stupid it may seem."

Remus didn't seem quite sure but came out hesitantly anyway.

"You're not mad at me? You'll still be my friend?"

"Of Course! What kind of friend do you take me for? Anyway just keep them away from me, O.K?"

"O.K. By the way, Sirius and I have a plan for that... or we will."

"A plan for what?" Lily questioned, slightly confused.

" For disillusioning James. He thinks he's in love with you."

"Potter what!" Lily was outraged.

"You couldn't tell," the amusement in his voice was sickening, "why else would he be chasing you around."

"No way! I will never love that awful prankster!"

"I know! I know!" he tried to sooth her, " that's why Sirius and I decided to make him fall out of love instead of you fall in love."

"Good," she said only slightly more calm, "Black must have a trace of sense then."

"He is sick and tired of helping James chase you." Remus offered.

"I knew there was something in it for him." Lily grumbled, "Let's focus on or Potions Essays."

* * *

A few weeks later Remus was the happiest he had been since before... No! He was happy! He was NOT going to continue that train of thought. Anyway, he had spent some time with Lily in the Library and with James and Sirius in the common room of dormitory, while she spent time with that Snape boy. He knew they had been friends before Hogwarts, but he was dark and was in with the wrong crowd. Still, if Lily wanted to be friends with him that wasn't any of his business.

On another note, he and Sirius were still trying to come up with a plan to save Lily from James. (Or, as Sirius insisted, to save Sirius from James.) So far, they hadn't come up with a permanent plan but were just keeping him away from her and occupied to the best of their abilities. Stage two of what was not worthy of being called a _plan_ by any stretch of the imagination but rather a series of desperate attempts, was trying to convince him to, in Sirius's words, "Let it rest man. You can't even properly be with her 'til third year."

As for his other problem, the first time with friends had gone rather well. He just told them he had to visit his Aunt who was sick. (It had worked even better than expected since a second year boy had had to visit a sick uncle the week before.) It went pretty smoothly.

* * *

One day, about a week before Halloween, Sirius and James came running down to the common room where Remus was sitting reading.

"Remy! Marauder Meeting. Dorm. As soon as we cam get you there."

Remus didn't even look up from his book. "Right now? Really? I'm just getting to the good part!"

"C'mon Remus. If it's just us we'll get in trouble! You don't want that, do you."

Remus slammed his book shut."You're not going to leave me alone are you?" he said with a sigh.

"Nope!" James said cheerfully.

"We're learning to make plans. Just like you taught us!" Sirius added helpfully.

Remus pounded his head into the couch and groaned. "I knew you seemed to eager to learn"

They grinned cheekily. "You've got us figured out. Now come on!"


End file.
